Apparatus for making precipitable the solids held in solution in liquids



Jan. 20, 1931. G, w GANE 1,789,738

APPARATUS Fon MAKING PREGIPITABLE THs'soLIns HELD In SOLUTION IN LIQUIDS Filed June 141928 Patented Jan. 20, 1931 1 UNITED s'rATEsp ,PMENTv OFFICE GEORGE WILnAM GANE, or NoRMA-NBY, NEW znALANDv APPARATUS Fon MAKING PnnoHTABLE 'r1-:E soLIns HELD v'1N soLTIoN IN Lre'UIDs`v` Application mea mi@ 14, 192s, serial No. 285,464, andan New zealand Juiy 19,1927.

This invention has reference to a special forni or" apparatus designed for the heating oi liquids containing solids in solution therein, for the purpose of rendering such solids precipitable and capable of separation from lie liquid. l

The invention has particular application to a process for the treatment of milk, skim milk, whey, or butter milk, by which the solid constituents thereof are, by the action of heat, rendered recoverable from the liquid in a precipitating or separating operation of any approved nature.

The invention consists iny a special construction of apparatus designed for the progressive eating of the said liquid by the employment of steam as the heating agent, and While the liquid is being sent through the apparatus under pressure.

The invention consists more particularly in a construction of apparatus designed to provide for the continuous flow of the liquid under pressure through vessel; and With which vessel a steam nozzle, or nozzles, is, or are, combined and so disposed as to deliver' a jet or jets of steam into the liquid eitherv in an opposing direction to the iloW of the liquid, or in both an opposing and an assisting direction to the HOW.

The apparatus may be varied in its form to suit special circumstances and the degrees of heating required, but in all cases it Will provide for the vcontinuous flow of the liquid under pressure and for its progressive heating by the admission of the steam to mingle with the liquid.

The general principles governing the form of apparatus designed are illustrated in the accompanying diagran'imatic drawings, in which Figure l is a View of the apparatus in its simplest form.

Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating an appan ratus in which the liquid is caused to travel through a zig-zag course in a number of associated units.

The construction shown in Figure l, which may be termed a single unit apparatus, provides a long cylindrical vessel A into one end of which an inlet pipe B leads and from the `other end of which an outlet C leads.

The'inlet B is connected with the source of.

liquidsupply so positioned and controlled A, similar steam nozzle E may be arranged to enter the inlet end of the vessel and to entend axially for a distance therein. This nozzle is used to introduce steam inthe direction of How and thereby tol aid the HOW, While heating the liquid.

In the form shown in Figure 2 the apparatus comprises a series of heatingunits each et which is formed by a central tube F and an enveloping tube A, arranged to leave'an annular space between them and so disposed that a continuous passage is formed by the vsaid central tube and annular space. These units are so connected together that provision is made for the continuous travel through the 'Whole series of units of a supply of liquid, and during such travel the'said liquid is caused to pass through both passages of each unit as shown by the arrows. 'Y

In the apparatus shown, three unitsV ,are provided and the liquid supply inlet B is led into the outer space of the first unit and passes along it and then enters the reverse end of the central tube F and travels along it back to the first end.` `That end of the tube isconnected by the connection G to the central tube F of the second unit, and in vsuch unit' the liquid passes along the said tube and at the other end passes into the outerspace, to then flow back to the first` end. `The latter end of the outer chamber is connected by another connection G to one end of the innertube F of the next unit, and the opposite end of such inner tube opens to the annular space, While the first end ofthe outer chamber has the discharge pipe C carriedy away from it, so that the liquid passes one Way along Within the central tube and then back through the outer chamber to the discharge.

The liquid is led into the inlet B from any suitable pressure supply and flows from the outlet C through a valve controlling it and which allovvsfor the period of flow being effectually governed to obtain any required temperature. Y

The steam inlet nozzles D and E are led into the ends of the inner tubes F of the several units so that they act to heat the liquid. These steam inlets, in some cases, 'as the inlets E, are arranged to admit the steam in the line of the flow, in order thus to assist the flow, While also heating the liquid. In other cases, as the inlets D, they are arranged to admit the steam in opposition to the flow in order thus to retard it and provide for a greater heating of the liquid. Each steam inlet is controlled by a valve, tovgovern the action of the steam upon the liquid.

The' number of units thus combined may be varied, in some cases two being used and in others a greater number than the three shown in the drawings.

l. Apparatus for heating liquids containing solids held in solution therein, for the purpose of rendering such solids precipitable and capable of separation from the liquid, comprising an elongated, horizontally-arranged vessel; means at one end of the vessel tor supplyingV liquid under pressure and containing the solids to be precipitated to flow therethrough; and a nozzle for injecting jet of steam into said liquid in opposition to its direction of HOW so as to heat the liquid progressively during its flow and, at the saine time, check the flow. y

2. Apparatus for heating liquids contain` ing solids held in solution therein, for the purpose of rendering such solids precipitable and capable of separation 'from the liquic. .comprising an elongated, horizontally-arranged vessel; means at one end ci thevessel forsupplying liquid under pressure-and containing the solids tov-be precipitate'dto flow therethrough; and nozzles for-injecting jets of steam into said liquid both in the direction of its liowand in a` direction opposed thereto, so Vtoassist and to retard the flow, respectively, While `at the same time heating the liquid kprogressively during the How; Y

3. Apparatus forheating liquids containing-'solids held in solutiony therein, for the purpose oi rendering such solids precipitable and `capable of separation from the liquid, comprisingfawtubular vsystem of horizontal pipes arranged inzig-zag andl through which thel liquid containing the solids lto be precipitated is caused toflow; means for supplying liquid under pressure to said system; and nozzles lforinjectimg `jets-of steam into said liquid at dierentstages-inits.flow andin a direction in opposition to the flow so as to heat the liquid progressively during its flow and, at the same time, check the flow.

e. Apparatus for heating liquids containing solids held in solution therein, for the purpose et rendering such solids precipitable and capable oit separation from the liquid, comprising a tubular system oit' pipesr arranged in zig-zag and through which the liquid is caused to flow; means for supplying liquid under pressure to said system ,nozzles for injecting jets oit' steam into said liquid at diiierent stages in its flow and in a direction in opposition to the Flow; and othery nozzles for injecting iets ot steaml into the liquid in the direction of its flow and at different stages from. thosi first mentioned, the various nozzles acting to heat the liquid progressively during the flow. y

,in a method of treating liquids containingV solids held in suspension therein, for the pi' pose of rendering such solids precipitable and capable separation from the liquid, the

' i oi passing the liquid under pressure ough clcsed vessel. While injectingv steam into said liquid both in the direction of its flow and in a direction opposed thereto, sok

as to assist and to retard the flow, respectively, while at the same time heating the liquid progressively during the flow.

6. A, method of treating liquids containing solids ield in suspension therein to be precipitated, comprising the step of passing the f liquid under pressure and containing the solids through a closed vessel in a horizontal stream, While subjecting said stream te the progressive heating action oi' a hot fluid moving through the liquid in a direction opposed to the liquid flow so as to render the solids precipitableand separable from theliquid during the How and at the saine time check the flow.

ln testimony whereof, I atliX my signature.

GEORGE WILLIAM GANE. 

